Fastening devices



Feb. 18, 1964 L. VAN DEN BROEK ETAL FASTENING DEVICES Filed July 9, 1962 Inventor 0l/RENS Ww f/v 51905K P/ET GEIQ/efr JOSE/f Ww 5Pw Biwwo@ A ttorneyS United States Patent O 3,121,279 FASTENING BEVHCES Lourens van den Broek and Piet G. J. van Spyk, Letchworth, England, assignors to The Standard Advertising Tape Company Limited, Hertfordshire, England, a British company Fiied .luiy 9, 1962, Ser. No. 208,427 Claims priority, application Great Britain Iluly l2, 1961 2 Claims. (l. 2li-711i) This invention relates to fastening devices and is particularly directed to the provision of a new or improved device for use in anchoring the ends of a length of nonmetal binding tape, strapping or other flexible strip material when said material is under tension. Such devices are of particular utility in the packaging of goods in cartons, bales or like containers, or the assembly of soft or pliable goods into bundles with or without any outer covering, such containers or bundles then being tightly bound with flexible webbing material.

Hitherto deformable metal channel clips have been provided for the purpose but these suffer from the disadvantage that a special tool is required to tension the material and at the same time deform the clip about the superimposed ends of the length of material to secure them against separation. Such tools are quite expensive and are also heavy and cumbersome to handle.

It is one object of the invention to provide a fastening device which does not necessitate the use of a special tool but which is self-locking.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a fastening device for anchoring the ends of a length of nonmetallic binding tape, strapping or other such flexible strip material, such device including two spaced pairs of holding bars around which such material may be passed and which in use of the device lie substantially parallel, the bars of each pair being separable so as to enable one end of said length of material to be passed around one bar and returned between said bars so as, when said material is tensioned, to be trapped between said bars and/ or to be trapped between said material and said other bar.

The material, hereinafter referred to as tape, is engaged with each pair of holding bars of the fastening device by looping the tape around one bar and then leading it back between both bars with the result that the end of the tape lies between the main part thereof and the other of the two bars. The application of tension to the length of tape may then either cause the bars to be drawn closely together so that the tape is trapped between the bars and thus secured against release and/ or, if the bars of each pair are suitably arranged, cause the returned end of the tape to be locked between the other holding bar and the tensioned length of tape. Preferably both such locking actions are employed to anchor the tape. Thus although each pair of holding bars may be arranged so that, in use, the common plane of their centre-lines is generally parallel to the tensioned tape anchored thereby, it is preferred that such plane lies at an angle, eg. a right angle, to such tape so that the tape as Well as being trapped between the bars is also locked on itself. Thus all four holding bars of the device may be in a common plane so that the holding bars of both pairs are drawn together in directions lying in a single plane; alternatively the two pairs of holding bars may lie in spaced parallel planes perpendicular to the general plane of the fastening device, or the bars may be arranged in any way intermediate these two extremes.

The application of tension to a returned end of the length of tape will not produce any appreciable locking efect and will, in fact, result in the tape being drawn through the fastening device; thus the tape can be tight- ZLZ@ Patented Feb. 1S, 1964 ICC ened about the package or bundle by pulling on such returned end, and the tension thereby set up in the length of tape will result in its being securely anchored in the fastening device in the manner just described.

The fastening device is conveniently of flat rectangular shape with the pairs of holding bars disposed one at each end thereof.

The fastening device may, if desired, be formed as a single unit, in which case the holding bars may be movably connected to a central body part of the device; the bars could, for example, be pivotally mounted in such body part, the bars of each pair thereof conveniently being mounted for rotation about a common axis parallel to the bars themselves; alternatively the bars of each pair could be mounted for relative sliding movement.

In a preferred form of the invention, however, the fastening device consists of two separate parts, each of which provides one of the holding bars of each pair.

Conveniently, and in accordance with a further feature of the invention, at least one of the holding bars of each pair at each end of the fastening device is mounted in such a way that the tape may be first looped and then engaged over the bar by transverse movement of the tape. This may be accomplished by forming the device with an opening at one side thereof near to each of its ends and leading into the space behind the pair of holding bars at that end. Such an arrangement is very advantageous in that a tape may be engaged with the fastening device without the necessity of threading the end of the tape through the latter, simply by forming a loop in the tape near to its end, passing the loop behind one of the holding bars so that the portion of tape nearer to the end of the latter is adjacent said bar, and then hooking the loop over the other said bar by way of the said opening adjacent the latter. It is thus not necessary to cut the tape from its reel prior to securing it to the fastening device, and considerable wastage of tape is thus prevented.

Viewed from another aspect the invention provides, for use in a fastening device of the kind already described, a fastening element comprising a central body portion and two outer parallel holding bars connected to such body portion, means being providedon said body portion whereby the latter may be engaged with the body portion of another and similar fastening element in such manner as to prevent relative displacement of such elements under the actions of a tensioned length of material anchored at each end thereby.

.ln a preferred form of the invention the fastening element takes the form of a flat plate-like member having `a substantially rectangular perimeter broken at the region at which la tape may be inserted .behind one of the holding bars provided at each end thereof. The said means for interengaging the body portion of the fastening element with that of another and similar element may comprise one or more lugs provided on said body portion and arranged to engage the edge of the body portion of the other element when the two elements are placed face-toface, a sufficient combination of such lugs or other members being provided to prevent relative lengthwise displacement of the elements under the action of a tensioned length of tape anchored thereby;

The fastening device may be made of metal or other material or materials, such as plastic, of suitable strength for the intended conditions of use.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment of the same will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is `a perspective View of a two-part fastening device according to the invention, during assembly; and

FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the assembled device of FIG. l.

In this embodiment the fastening device comprises two identical fastening elements 1 and 2 each in the form of a at generally rectangular metal plate stamped out in the form of a letter E having one of its open sides closed by a bridging arm 3 joining the outer ends of the central bar 4 of the E (which constitutes a body portion of the element) and one of its end `cross-pieces S and i6, which latter form the holding bars thereof. The free corner of the body portion 4 remote from `such bridging arm 3 is rounded olf, whilst the free end of the holding bar 6 is formed with a short integral extension 7 extending at right `angles thereto and parallel to the upright 8 of the E. On its edge facing the holding bar `6, and approximately medially thereof, the body portion `4 of the element is provided with a rectangular lug 9v extending at right angles to its plane.

The two fastening elements may thus be assembled together face-to-face (see FIG. 2) with the said bridging arm 3 of each element overlying the gap in the side of the other and with the :lug 9 on each element extending towards the other and into the opening between the body portion 4 and Ithe holding bar 5 thereof so as to abut against the edge of the body portion of the other element; such abutment of both of the lugs 9 prevents the elements 1 and 2 sliding relatively to one another in one longitudinal direction; relative sliding of the elements in the other longitudinal direction is possible to a small extent but separation of the elements is prevented by the eventual abutment of each lug 9 against the holding bar 5 of the other element. Any substantial transverse sliding separation of the elements is prevented by the abutment of the lugs against the upright 8 or the lbridging 'arm 3 of each E-shaped element.

The application of the fastening device to a container or bundle is as follows; the end of the tape ll which is to be used to tie up the container or bundle is irst turned back on itself to form a loop 11 and the looped end is passed through one of the aligned fastening elements (in the illustration, the element 1) behind the holding bar thereof (see FIG. l). The loop of the tape is passed over the hook-shaped holding bar `6 of the other element 2, whereafter the tape can be drawn taut by pulling on its free end, which action causes the elements to be closed together face-to-face.

The tape is then passed around the container or bundle and is secured, in a manner similar to that described above, to the other end of the fastening device. In this case however the looped tape is passed through the device from the opposite side thereof, i.e. rst through the element 2. It will be understood that, as it is not necessary for the end 13 ofthe tape to be threaded through the fastening device, the tape need not he cut from its reel -until it has been secured in the other end of the device and tightened; wastage of tape is thus prevented.

Since ,the looped tape is passed through the device from opposite sides at the two ends thereof, it follows that at the end 12, the returned end of the tape will be on the inside and at the end )13 on the outside of the length of tape anchored by the device. The outer returned end 13 is then conveniently accessible for pulling on to tighten the tape. The action of the tensioned tape on the elements 1 and 2 is to tend to `displace them relative to one another in a lengthwise direction. This is prevented by the lugs 9 only one of which is strictly necessary for this purpose yalthough it is convenient to make the elements identical.

The action of the tape when tensioned is to pull the bars 5 and 6 of each pair together to clamp the -tape therebetween. Also the returned end 12 or 13 -of the tape is trapped between the main length of the tape and the bar 5 behind which it is first passed and is thus very firmly held fast.

Generally the tape will be c-ut when it is desired to uni tie the container or bundle; the fastening device can then easily be released from the freed tape for further use.

It will be understood -that the tape can, at any time after its application, be tightened simply by pulling on one of its free ends (more conveniently its end 13); this may be necessary should the contents of the container or bundle settle during transportation or storage; in this respect the device of the invention possesses an important advantage over fastening devices used in the past, which were generally applied by being clamped on to the tape in a non-releasable fashion so as to bite into it and could not therefore be so adjusted; these known devices have also been known to damage and thus weaken the clamped portion of the tape.

It will thus be seen that we provide a simple and eilicient means of securing binding material around containers or bundles, which is self-locking, adjustable and re-usable, and does not require any special tool for its application.

The fastening device specically described above is 'the most efficient embodiment of the invention at present known :to us; it could however be modified by forming eaoh fastening element as a closed ligure, eg. in the form of a capital O or a hollow rectangle provided with .a centnal transverse cross member Afonrning the body portion .of the device, but in such modifications it would be necessary to cut the tape `from its reel before applying it and tto thread the end of .the Ktape through .the device; it will be clear that such an opera-tion would be comparatively time-consuming Iand would also lead ito wastage off tape.

The Itwo elements of the preferred form of device could be stamped out together as a single unit side-byside or end-to-end and weakly connected Where they adjoin for easy separation when required for use.

We claim:

yl. A fastening device for anchoring the ends of a length of non-metallic flexible strip material, such device including Ktwo substantially flat, identical but separate fastening elements each comprising an oblong frame stamped from a iiat metal plate and partly open at one side, the end members of such frame constituting a pair of spaced parallel holding bars and the frame having a central cross-bar transverse to its length and ajaccnt the opening therein to define a sub-frame including one of said holding bars, such cross-bar and the side and end members of the frame being. of rectangular shape in transverse cross-section, such elements being engageable face-to-face with one another with all of the parts thereof in mutual alignment whereby, in combination, to provide two spaced pairs of superposed parallel holding bars around and between each of which pai-rs of bars the respective ends of a length of said material may be engaged so as, when tensioned, to be anchored to the device, and each of said cross-bars having an integral lug which, with the fastening elements so engaged with one another, engages behind ythe cross-bar of the other said element to prevent relative displacement of the elements under the pull of a tensioned length of material anchored on the fastening -device at each of its ends.

2. A fastening device for `anchoring the ends of a length of non-metallic flexible strip m-atae-rial, comprisinvg: substantially flat, identical but separate fastening elements each comprising an oblong frame the end meinbers of which constitute a pair of spaced parallel holding bars, said elements being engageable face-to-face with one another with the said bars ythereof in parallel superposed relation whereby, in combination, to provide two spaced pairs of adjacent holding bars around and between each of which pairs of bars the respective ends o-f a length of said material may be engaged so as, when tensioned, vto be anchored to the device; each said frame being partly open at one side and having a central crossbar transverse to its length adjacent the opening therein to define a sub-frame including one of said holding bars,

said opening seavng to enable a loop of material Ito be engaged around the other holding bar by a transverse movement; and the said ycross-bar 1ot each fastening element yhaving a lug integral therewith land -separably engageable with the other element to prevent relative displacement of the elements under fthe pull of `a tensioned length `of material anchored on Ithe 4fastening device at each of its ends.

Refet'enees Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES 1 ATENTS 241,255 Wales May 10, 1881 6 Eddlernan July 21, Ragsdale et a1 Nov. 5, France July 30, Sehnarcy Nov. 18, Alonso Maa". 31, ALterson Apr. 12, Houghton Oct. 13, Rose et al Nov. 17, Perry et 'al June 9, Van Doorn Oct. 13, Dernickson ett el. Dec. 26, 

1. A FASTENING DEVICE FOR ANCHORING THE ENDS OF A LENGTH OF NON-METALLIC FLEXIBLE STRIP MATERIAL, SUCH DEVICE INCLUDING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, IDENTICAL BUT SEPARATE FASTENING ELEMENTS EACH COMPRISING AN OBLONG FRAME STAMPED FROM A FLAT METAL PLATE AND PARTLY OPEN AT ONE SIDE, THE END MEMBERS OF SUCH FRAME CONSTITUTING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL HOLDING BARS AND THE FRAME HAVING A CENTRAL CROSS-BAR TRANSVERSE TO ITS LENGTH AND AJACENT THE OPENING THEREIN TO DEFINE A SUB-FRAME INCLUDING ONE OF SAID HOLDING BARS, SUCH CROSS-BAR AND THE SIDE AND END MEMBERS OF THE FRAME BEING OF RECTANGULAR SHAPE IN TRANSVERSE CROSS-SECTION, SUCH ELEMENTS BEING ENGAGEABLE FACE-TO-FACE WITH ONE ANOTHER WITH ALL OF THE PARTS THEREOF IN MUTUAL ALIGNMENT WHEREBY, IN COMBINATION, TO PROVIDE TWO SPACED PAIRS OF SUPERPOSED PARALLEL HOLDING BARS AROUND AND BETWEEN EACH OF WHICH PAIRS OF BARS THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF A LENGTH OF SAID MATERIAL MAY BE ENGAGED SO AS, WHEN TENSIONED, TO BE ANCHORED TO THE DEVICE, AND EACH OF SAID CROSS-BARS HAVING AN INTEGRAL LUG WHICH, WITH THE FASTENING ELEMENTS SO ENGAGED WITH ONE ANOTHER, ENGAGES BEHIND THE CROSS-BAR OF THE OTHER SAID ELEMENT TO PREVENT RELATIVE DISPLACEMENT OF THE ELEMENTS UNDER THE PULL OF A TENSIONED LENGTH OF MATERIAL ANCHORED ON THE FASTENING DEVICE AT EACH OF ITS ENDS. 